TEXAS: San Antonio GOP To Vote On Resolution To Repeal LGBT Rights

Via Gay Star News:

A resolution that will be presented at the 8 January meeting of the Bexar County Republican Party’s executive committee in San Antonio is demanding the ‘repeal of our local governments’ pro-homosexual policies’. Although same-sex marriage is not legal in Texas, domestic partnership benefits were extended to same-sex couples employed by the city and county in 2011. This resolution seeks to withdraw those benefits, which it regards as ‘special rights based merely on behavior and not upon unchanging characteristics such as race, color, etc.’ The resolution urges that ‘there should be no granting of special legal entitlements or creation of special status for homosexual behavior. ‘The Republican Party of Bexar County urges the repeal of San Antonio and Bexar County Ordinances that have given special rights to homosexuals, and the repeal of city and county’s taxpayer-funded, marriage dishonoring “domestic partnership” benefits programs for government employees.’

Media Matters Debunks Top Five Myths About LGBT Non-Discrimination Laws

Carlos Maza does a great job. Watch this.

A Ridiculous Lie From Rafael Cruz

"All we have to do is turn on the news and every day we see more and more encroachment upon pastors from this administration. All they have to do is be aware of what’s happening around us and to be aware, for example, that in the city of San Antonio, if a pastor speaks on Romans 1, he could be even fined $500 a day until he retracts what he said. We’ve stayed at home and we allowed the wicked to elect wicked politicians to rule us. We get what we deserve, Rick. We need to get up the charge that God is giving us and move to the forefront and call this nation to repentance and call this nation to righteousness." - Rafael Cruz, father of Sen. Ted Cruz, speaking on a Tea Party Unity conference call with crackpot Rick Scarborough, who warned that similar fines are going to imposed on Houston's pastors if Mayor Annise Parker gets her way.

SAN ANTONIO: Haters Fail To Gather Signatures To Repeal LGBT Rights Bill

Anti-gay forces in San Antonio have failed to gather the required signatures needed to place a repeal of the recently passed LGBT non-discrimination bill on the public ballot.

Pastor Gerald Ripley, a petition leader, estimated the group collected about 20,000 signatures, well below the required 61,046, or 10 percent of eligible voters. The council adopted the ordinance last month after lengthy debate about its protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Religious conservatives claimed it would restrict their rights of free speech and conscience, and a coalition of more than 50 churches and ministries launched a petition drive to force it to a referendum. Not all churches opposed to the ordinance joined in, Ripley acknowledged. He said the outcome may have been different if city rules allowed for more time and if he had reached out more proactively to nonchurchgoers.

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro cheered the failure.

"I'm glad people can move on from divisive attempts to undo an ordinance that was always commonsense about treating everybody the same," Castro said. On September 5, 2013, San Antonio City Council passed the controversial ordinance that prevents discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Opponents promised to fight to repeal it. Ripley decided to build a website. A total of 53 churches from across the city officially registered on the site in order to collect petition signatures.

Interestingly, no Catholic churches took part in the repeal drive. (Tipped by JMG reader Mike)

SAN ANTONIO: Homophobic City Council Member Elisa Chan Resigns

San Antonio City Councilwoman Elisa Chan, who was secretly recorded making anti-gay comments in advance of that city's vote on an anti-discrimination bill, has resigned in order to run for the Texas state legislature.

In a letter to Mayor Julián Castro and council members, Chan said she was proud of San Antonio and “what we have accomplished.” She reflected on her five years on council, saying: “I have done my best to represent the conservative values of these fine people. The people of this district take an active role in deciding policy, giving their input, volunteering their time and listening to the views of their neighbors,” she wrote. The date was chosen out of an abundance of caution, said Murphy, adding that Chan wanted to make sure there was ample time to pick her successor. She'll resign before council votes on a proposed rate increase for CPS Energy, scheduled for Nov. 7.

Chan plans to challenge a local Tea Party incumbent. (Tipped by JMG reader Frank)

SAN ANTONIO: Anti-Gay Groups Launch Recall Drive Against City Officials

Almost immediate after San Antonio passed an ordinance that added LGBT residents to employment and housing protections, anti-gay groups have launched a recall drive against Mayor Julian Castro and the members of the city council who voted for the measure. The San Antonio Current reports:

After council members in Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 (plus the Mayor) cast ‘yes’ votes to include LGBT groups in the City’s current Non-discrimination ordinances, a strategy to unseat the majority of council began. Martinez says the plan ranges from knocking on doors to showing up wherever council members may be— from public and community meetings to member-hosted events—with the mission to collect signatures. The faction says they’re even planting themselves outside district field offices with the hopes of wrangling in more petitioners. The ordinance opponents need 6,000 signatures from registered voters (valid 180 days from the first signer) to begin the recall process for council members and 75,000 for Castro.

City Councilman Diego Bernal reacts: "If these people want me out of office simply because I want to treat everyone in this city fairly and equally, it says more about them than it does about me."  Organizers of the recall drive were reportedly emboldened by the recall of two pro-gun control Colorado legislators earlier this month. San Antonio's ordinance, which is similar to those in 21 states and dozens of cities nationwide, has been attacked by the Family Research Council and Pat Robertson, who claims that Christians will now be jailed.

RELATED: Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has retreated on his vow to sue San Antonio over the ordinance.

San Antonio Has Criminalized The Bible!

It's really strange, if not necessarily surprising, that the anti-gay hate industry is going nuts about San Antonio when virtually identical non-discrimination laws have existed for years and years in many states and municipalities. Pat Robertson on San Antonio: "If you speak up about your beliefs, they'll put you in jail! They'll brand you some kind of Class Three felon!"

LIVE VIDEO: San Antonio City Council Debates Ordinance For LGBT ProtectionsUPDATE: The Ordinance Has PASSED 8-3!

Watch the live video here. The public is commenting now. The most recent speaker at this writing brought up the subject of "anus sex."  Here's another video link.

UPDATE: The City Council has adjourned for lunch and the vote will presumably come immediately after today's session resumes at 1PM local time. (2PM Eastern.)

UPDATE II: I'm moving this post back to the top as the City Council is about to reconvene. Click the video link and stand by...

UPDATE III: The ordinance has PASSED by a vote of 8-3!

It's worth noting that San Antonio is the nation's seventh largest city by population.

Freep This San Antonio Poll

You know what to do. Hundreds are expected to attend tonight's meeting.

The council will begin its “citizens to be heard” meeting at 6 p.m., though chambers will open to the public three hours earlier. Officials have designated two additional rooms in the Municipal Complex for overflow seating. Last week, more than 500 people signed up to speak on the proposed ordinance, which would add protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran status. It's been a controversial issue that's drawn national attention. That's despite the fact that about 180 cities across the U.S., including every major Texas municipality, already have adopted similar protections.

(Tipped by JMG reader Mike)

San Antonio City Council Holds Meeting On Non-Discrimination Ordinance

From KSAT News:

San Antonio City Council Chambers were at capacity as hundreds more formed a line stretching around the building Wednesday hoping to get inside to speak before the council about the city’s proposed Non-Discrimination Ordinance. The hotly debated ordinance would add sexual and gender identity to the list of protected classes. But in controversial wording of the ordinance, some opposing it say it would discriminate against those who do not agree with homosexuality. “I suspect that this is actually a political agenda being shoved upon us by some who want to please the elite in Washington because they’d like to move there someday,” said Brenda Saunders said to the council. “We see you. Your agenda is showing.”

The vote is next Thursday.

TEXAS: Christians Pray Against LGBT Rights At San Antonio City Hall

From the San Antonio Express-News:

More than 350 black and Latino ministers and members of their flocks rallied against proposed updates to the city's nondiscrimination ordinance Tuesday at City Hall, rejecting comparisons between the nation's historic struggle for racial equality and current efforts to safeguard rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. “While we love the people involved, we cannot allow their agenda to stain the fabric, the tapestry, of the civil rights movement,” said the Rev. Charles Flowers, an African-American pastor and early opponent of the measure. Jim Crow laws, lynching and slavery are not shared experiences with the LGBT community, he said, joining others in asserting that choice — not genetics — drive same-sex attraction and gender identity.

The city council meets at 6pm tonight to discuss adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the anti-discrimination code. The public will be allowed to comment and I'll try to find a live-stream to post at the end of the day.

Quote Of The Day - Elisa Chan

"The comments from the staff meeting on May 21st were and are my personal opinions and thoughts as guaranteed to me by the 1st amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It is unfortunate that a former member of my D9 Council team betrayed the trust of my staff members and me. I will fight, I will always fight for our freedom of speech, especially in a private setting." - San Antonio Councilwoman Elisa Chan, who was secretly recorded saying that gay people are "so disgusting" and other homophobic comments. (Tipped by JMG reader BearLuvva)

Tweet Of The Day - Rep. Joaquin Castro

SAN ANTONIO: Councilwoman Secretly Recorded Making Homophobic Comments

From the My San Antonio news site:

“So disgusting!” That exclamation escaped the lips of District 9 Councilwoman Elisa Chan on May 21 in her City Hall office, where she was meeting with members of her staff to discuss the city's proposal to update its nondiscrimination ordinance, adding protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. In the course of the conversation, Chan expressed her unvarnished views on homosexuality, which range from befuddled to intolerant. She revealed that she believes being gay is a choice and that gay people should not be allowed to adopt children, and she voiced revulsion toward the LGBT community. Unbeknown to the councilwoman, an aide, James Stevens, was secretly recording the meeting on his iPhone. (He's now a former aide; Stevens, 28, quit this week.)

The most disgusting comments come from Chan's former chief of policy, Jeff Bazan, who backpedaled furiously today: "I was basically explaining the viewpoint that some people have on the gay marriage issue. What I said was wrong and I deeply regret it."

UPDATE: I've removed the audio player posted here as it was borking the template. I recommend you click over to Gawker and listen to the clip, if you can bear it.

SAN ANTONIO: Openly Gay Disabled Iraq Vet Eric Alva Booed By Christian Protesters At LGBT Rights Forum

Openly gay USMC veteran Eric Alva was the first American soldier injured in the Iraq War and anti-gay Christian protesters actually booed him when he spoke yesterday in support of San Antonio's proposed LGBT rights ordinance. Via the Dallas Voice:

At a prayer vigil outside City Hall before the meeting, about 300 people protested the proposed addition to San Antonio’s nondiscrimination law that would add protections for sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran status. “Let them vote ‘no’ to this ordinance, and ‘yes’ to the reign of the kingdom of God,” Pastor Charles Flowers said at the rally. About 200 people signed up to speak at the City Council meeting for and against the ordinance. Alva, a Marine staff sergeant who became the first U.S. soldier injured in Iraq when he stepped on a landmine, was booed by the crowd when he spoke in favor of the ordinance. Alva lives in San Antonio.

Image via Dallas Voice.

SAN ANTONIO: Christian Groups Threaten To Sue Over Domestic Partners

Two San Antonio-based Christian groups are threatening to sue the city in order to overturn insurance benefits granted to the partners of LGBT city employees.

Pastor Gerald Ripley [left] of Voices for Marriage and Philip Sevilla of Texas Leadership Coalition made the request Wednesday with backing from a few sign-carrying supporters at City Hall. Attorney General Greg Abbott issued an opinion April 29 stating cities that offer marriage benefits to employees' same-sex partners are violating the Texas Constitution. San Antonio has done so since 2011, at an annual cost then estimated at $300,000. Ripley and Sevilla also voiced opposition to Councilman Diego Bernal's proposal to update the city's anti-discrimination policies by adding protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. Further, Ripley and Sevilla oppose funding a city liaison to the gay community. The city's Governance Committee takes up Bernal's proposals on Tuesday.

Pastor Ripley: "We cannot allow this in San Antonio. We are not San Francisco." Ripley's partner in hate, the Texas Leadership Coalition, is a group comprised of "Catholic laymen." San Antonio's city attorney says they will not take action until the Supreme Court rules next month.

San Antonio Wingnuts Angry That Mayor Will Be Grand Marshal Of Gay Pride

San Antonio wingnut radio host Adam McManus is calling on his "army" of listeners to demand that Mayor Julian Castro pull out of his planned appearance as grand marshal of that city's gay pride parade. Castro will be the first San Antonio mayor to do so.

ACTION STEPS FOR ADAM'S ARMY:

1. Call San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro at 210.207.7060 to object politely to his decision to become the first Mayor in San Antonio history to serve as the Grand Marshall of the San Antonio Homosexual Pride Parade on July 4th. You can leave a message after business hours.

2. Send Mayor Julian Castro a polite e-mail objecting to his decision to serve as Grand Marshall in the Homosexual pride Parade on July 4th: mayorjuliancastro@sanantonio.gov

"Homosexual pride parade." Ooh, buuurn. San Antonio activists will appear at a city council meeting tonight at 5pm to support their mayor against this attack. Hey, why don't you send Mayor Castro an email thanking him for supporting San Antonio's LGBT community? Help Texas change.

(Via - By The Bayou)